Power distributing mechanism



Feb. 14, 1939. L. R. TALLMAN 2,147,469

POWER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed April 24, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MENTIZIEQ...

W W ATTIZIFENEYE Feb. 14, 1 939. I V R, TALLMAN 2,147,469

POWER DI STRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed April 24,1936 3Sheecs-Sheet 2 o F in H Y' S Q Q I D Z 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MEN-FUR. M f 1 TTEIJHNEYE L. R. TALLMAN POWER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Filed April 24, 1936 Feb. 14, 1939.

Patented Feb. 14, 19 39 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE in. POWER DISTRIBUTING MECHANISM Leslie R. Tallman, Shelbyville, Iii.

Application April 24, 1936, Serial No. 76,171

1 Claim. (Cl. 100-25) This invention is directed to a power distributof the power distributing mechanism to be ing mechanism to be utilized principally in condescribed; nection with the pick up and feeding mechanism Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. with certain of shown and described in U. S. Patent 2,038,809 to the parts in full line and other parts in operated 5 Tallman et al. entitled Combine baler", dated position; and

April 28, 1936. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 1-1 in The invention has for its general object to pro- Fi vide a power distributing mechanism applicable In v ew of the fact that the devices shown as above set forth, and as a drive mechanism for herein are shown and described in detail in "the 0 machines generally known as bin b l s, aforementioned application for patent, detail de- 10 which machines are primarily intended for use in scription Of e e p p and feeder de c s gathering and baling straw or the like while in is thought unnecessary further than to say that ill m ti i th field, s h machines ordinarily designates a frame which carries an elevator coninclude a baler mechanism to which pick-up and veyor mechanism consisting of a series of chains feeder devices are attached, the whole forming an I I av Spikes apparatus capable of gathering straw from the The elevator conveyor is disposed to have one ground and transporting it into the baler which e ea e ground d the o p s end disposed forms it into bales, the operations b in perso as to discharge into a cross feed conveyor l3 formed whil th apparatus i i ti across which also consists of a number of parallel chains the field. l4 having spikes i5. 20

Locomotion is usually provided by a tractor, Chains H are carried upon sprocket wheels l6 which may be of any suitable type. Power for and H which are secured to pp and lower operating the baler and associated mechanism Shafts and p c y- The lower shaft may be provided through a power take-ofl device I9 also carries and operates a pick-up mechanism to take power from the engine of the tractor or Consisting of a Series f tines 2% In Operation 25 from a separate motor carried on th it, Power the machine is moved in the field toward the right sources suitable for the purpose are well known in Figs- 1 and 2 and e Chains II are driven in and will not require detail description. unison in direction toward the cross feed conveyor It will be obvious that the baler mechanism will 13. The p ce s ad p e to p p 0 require power to perform its function and it is my Straw from the ground and Place t upon the specific object to provide a means to take power spikes l2 whereby it is elevated and discharged from a drivenelement of the baler mechanism and 111150 the cross feed Conveyor distribute it to the several elements of the pick-up The chains M of the Cross feed yor run and feeder mechanism in such a manner that Over Sprocket Wheels Which are afl xed to said elements may be driven and controlled inde- Shafts diSPPSed in Opposite ends e rame 5 pendently of each other as will be explained. as Shown best 111 In order to clearly illustrate the novel and use- The crosfi feed conveyor is to be driven n Oppoful features of the invention I present herein site direct 1n5 stoPped the will of an 1 several views showing the apparatus to be driven ator as will be described, whereby it receives the 40 as well as details of my power distributing mecha- Straw delivered by the glevator conveyor and 40 nism. transports t toward and into the baler mecha- In the accompanying drawings: msm 2 I, or m the opposite direction for a purpose Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the baler pick-up to be descnbed' The baler mechanism 2| is of the conventional and feeder elements together with the distributtype which is usually Supported for portability ing mechanism referred to;

upon ground wheels 22. Conveyor I0 is supported Fi 2 s a s elevatlonal vlew of the p p partly on the shaft 23 of ground wheels 22 and fe d elements with certain parts shown in through the framing structure 24, partly on the section; pivot 25 attached to the frame of the cross feed Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a baler mechconveyor l3 and partly on the ground wheels 26. 5 anism taken from the side opposite Fig. 2, show- The cross feed conveyor is supported by suitable ing a control element tobe referred to; framing upon the frame structure of the baler Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken from line 4-4 in mechanism 2 I, all as described in detail in the Fig. l; aforementioned patent.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view showing details The baler mechanism 2| consists of conven- 55 tional frame 21 upon which is mounted the several mechanisms necessary for baling, including the gear mechanism designated 23 and facilities for tying and discharging the bales shown at the right hand end in Fig. 3. At this end platform 2! are disposed on both sides of the frame for the convenience of operators who tie the bales and control the several elements of the machine.

For the purpose of illustration I show the forward end of the baler attached to and supported by a tractor 30 through a drawbar 3|. The tractor is equipped with a power take-ofi mechanism 32 which is conencted in the conventional manner to drive the gear mechanism 23.

It will be apparent that the machine described is adapted to be drawn over a field to pick up straw from the ground and to transport it into the baler, which forms it into bales to be tied and discharged, all while the machine is in motion. Further, it will be apparent that the machine is suitable for baling while it remains stationary, as when it is desired to bale from a stack.

Under conditions of practical use when baling in motion, the straw is picked up and delivered to the cross feed conveyor in a substantially continuous stream. The cross feed conveyor, when run toward the baler, delivers the straw to the baler in a like manner. However, as is common baler practice, when a bale of desired'size is built up the straw stream must be temporarily stopped while a separating block is inserted at the end of the bale and to accomplish this stopping of the stream I arrange to drive the cross feed con veyor in backward, as well as forward direction so that when a block is to be inserted the cross feed conveyor, which is normally running toward the baler, may be reversed and the straw stream transported away from the baler for the moment required to insert a block. By reversing the cross feed conveyor the feed of the straw stream is stopped at the baler, while at the same time the elevating conveyor is continuously feeding onto the cross feed conveyor. Thus the elevating conveyor functions continuously while the cross feed conveyor is controlled as necessary for the purpose set forth.

When it is desired to use the machine to bale straw from a stack, the straw would be most conveniently pitched from the stack onto the elevating conveyor whereby it is fed to the baler in the manner described. However, experience teaches that the straw is usually pitched in large forkfulls rather than in a continuous stream as when gathered from the ground and this condition of feed makes it somewhat difllcult to properly control the stream by means of the cross feed conveyor. Due to the conditions noted it has been found desirable, when changing blocks during stationary baling, to stop the elevating conveyor as well as to reverse the cross feed conveyor.

The foregoing gives an outline of the conditions under which my distrbuting mechanism is to be used and of its utility when used with the apparatus described.

The distributing device consists of a gear and clutch unit mechanism 35 disposed as shown in Fig. l or in any other suitable location.

Details of the mechanism are best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. 35 designates a housing-frame structure in the wall of which is journalled a shaft 31 carrying a gear 33 on its outer end and a gear 39 on its inner end.

Gear 39 is meshed with a pair of gears 40' and 4| which are rotatabiy mounted on a crow shaft 42 journalled in bearing 43 in theslde walls of structure 38.

Opposite gear 35 is a similar gear 44 rotatably mounted on a shaft 45 journalled in an elongated bearing 43 supported in the wall of structure 36. The outer face of the hub of gear 44 is provided with teeth 41 which are engageable with similar teeth on the hub of a clutch member 43. Clutch 43 is slidably keyed to shaft 45. It has an annular slot 45 in which is engaged a yoked member 50 mixed to a shaft 5|, the latter being offset from shaft 45, see Fig. 7, and mounted to slide in the structure 35. Shaft 5i and its associated mechanism will be referred to again.

Slidably keyed to shaft 42 and disposed between gears 40 and 4| is a clutch member 52 having teeth on each end adapted to engage with cooperative teeth on the inner faces of the opposite gears. Member 52 has an annular slot 53 in which is engaged a yoked member 54. Yoke 54 is secured to a bar 55 disposed crosswise of the unit as shown in Fig. 6 and mounted to slide in the walls of structure 36. Longitudinal movement of the bar obviously causes movement of clutch member 52 to selectively engage one of gears 40 or 4| or to place it in neutral position between them.

Referring again to shaft it, it will be noted that a spring 55 is in position to react between the wall of structure 36 and yoke 55 to normally hold the clutch 43 in driving engagement with gear 44. An arm 51 is pivotally mounted on the inner end of shaft 5| and a roller 53 is mounted on the free end of the arm. An operating rod 59 is also attached to the free end of the arm as shown. The rod extends outside the wall of structure 35 and carries a tooth 50. Dotted lines in Fig. 6 indicate that the rod 59 may be moved inwardly to position the arm 51 in alignment with shaft 5|, with the tooth ill engaged behind the wall of structure 36 to hold the arm in aligned position.

The bar 55 is disposed in the path of the roller 58 and the surface engaging the roller is fashioned to form a cam with a low portion 5! and a high portion 62. As above noted, the bar 55 is longitudinally movable so as to move the clutch 52 and it will now be apparent that movement of the bar from the solid to the dotted line position in Fig. 6, with the arm 51 locked in dotted line position, moves the cam face 62 into position to force arm 51, and yoke 50 outwardly to disengage the clutch 48. Thus with the arm 51 in aligned position the bar 55 may be moved to- ,ward the right to move clutch 52 out of engagement with gear 40 to neutral position without effect on clutch 48, but further movement of the bar, toward the position which would place clutch 52 in engagement with gear 4|, would also place cam 62 in engagement with roller 53 to disengage clutch 48. It will be apparent then that when clutch 52 is moved into engagement with gear 4| clutch 48 is simultaneously disengaged.

The foregoing has described the action of the mechanism when the parts are in dotted line position.

It will be apparent that with the arm 51 in the offset position shown in solid lines, wherein roller 53 is not in the path of cam 52, the bar 55 may be moved back and forth to operate clutch 52 while at the same time clutch 43 remains engaged.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted that gear 33 is meshed with one of the gears of the baler drive mechanism whereby it is rotated when the mechanism is in operation and through the arrangement noted all of the gears of the unit are continuously rotated.

Shaft 42 has driving connection, through a break-down clutch 63, with a shaft 64 which carrles a sprocket 65, Fig. 4, having driving connection through a chain 66 with the shaft N5 of the cross feed conveyor.

Shaft 45 carries a sprocket 61 which is driven with the shaft through a break-down clutch 68 and has driving connection with shaft ll! of the elevator conveyor through a sprocket 69 and chain 10.

The bar 55 is connected through a link H to an arm 12 aflixed to a shaft I3 which carries a manually accessible handle 14 disposed at one side of the baler frame, as indicated in Fig. 3, in position to be conveniently reached by an operator stationed on platform 29.

Operation of the mechanism is as follows:

For use in baling while moving over the field, the arm 51 is placed in offset position and the bar 55 is placed as shown in Fig. 6 with clutch 52 engaged with gear 40 to drive the cross feed conveyor in forward direction toward the baler.

With the above arrangement the pick-up mechanism and elevator conveyor are obviously driven to gather and transport straw to the cross feed conveyor whence it is delivered to the baler.

When a bale is completed and a separating block is to be inserted an operator may manipulate the handle 14 to slide the bar 55 toward the left in Fig. 3 to disengage the clutch 52 from gear 40 and engage it with gear 4|, which is obviously rotating in direction opposite gear 40.

Engagement with gear 4| causes reverse movement of the cross feed conveyor and the straw stream is thus stopped and pulled back away from the baler whereby the stream is broken. The separating block is easily placed; after which the operator restores the bar 55 to original position causing the straw stream to be again directed into the baler. It will be seen that the mechanism is easily and quickly controlled by the operator who supervises changing of the separating blocks and thus the work is efficiently done.

When it is desired to bale from a stack, with the machine stationary, the rod 69 is moved inwardly to place the arm 51 in aligned position as described and bar 55 is positioned so as to engage clutch 52 with gear 40 as before.

With the parts in this position, straw pitched onto the elevating conveyor is fed into the baler in the regular way. When a separating block is to be placed the handle 14 is manipulated as before to reverse the cross feed conveyor, but in this instance the elevating conveyor is stopped and the straw lying upon it is not delivered to the cross feed conveyor. I

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention provides an efficient and simple means for distributing power from a driving source to the several elements of a combine baler machine.

Modifications of structure are obviously possible without alteration of the principle involved. I do not wish to be limited in structure or function except within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In a combine apparatus for gathering hay from the ground and transferring the same to a baler mechanism, including a pick-up and a conveyor mechanism capable of gathering hay from the ground and discharging the same into a second conveyor mechanism, the conveyor mechanism having one end so arranged as to discharge into a baler, said conveyor mechanism being operable in opposite directions to transport the hay toward or from the baler mechanism, means for operating said pick-up and said conveyor comprising, a power supply including a shaft, 3, drive gear secured to said power shaft, a first driven shaft having connection with said conveyor, a pair of driven gears meshing with said drive gear and rotatably mounted upon said driven shaft, means for connecting either of said driven gears with said driven shaft for rotating the latter, a second driven shaft having connection with said pick-up, means for connecting and disconnecting said second driven shaft with and from said power shaft, and interlocking means for rendering one of said connecting means inoperative upona predetermined operation of the other connecting means.

LESLIE R. TALLMAN. 

